Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Brother Burhan, Assalaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah.

Jazaakumullah Khair for what you and your group is doing for Islamic services and removing the doubts and misconceptions.

Brother, I have a few question regarding Slaughtering Chicken.

1. At the shop the man who is slaughters it, should he say “Bismillahi Allahu Akbar” for every chicken he slaughter`s or saying once is enough?

2. I have observed with some chicken shops who sales life chicken that while slaughtering it, complete head comes out. Is such chicken Halaal ?

3. Can we eat the Chicken slaughtered by a known Mushrik? Will it be Halaal?

4. Can we eat the Chiken slaughtrered by a Muslim who doesnot offer Salaah?

5. There are some people working in chicken Shops who came to Arab Countries with a Muslim name in their Passport but in reality they are Non-Muslims and do not pray or practice Islam. Is the chicken slaughter by such people Halaal or not?

6. It is learnt though some sources that there are some company in Arab Countries who Slaughter and Packs Chickens in Mass quantities which is availble in the Market in Chilled or Frozen form. They Slaughter the Chicken by Machines ( and by human) and they play an Audio Cassettes saying Bismillahi Allahu Akbar. I would like to know if this type of Slaughtering is allowed in Islam and such chickens meat will be Halaal or not?

You urgent response in this regard will be appreciated.

Jazaakumullah Khair.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Slaughter halaal

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: At the shop the man who is slaughters it, should he say “Bismillahi Allahu Akbar” for every chicken he slaughter`s or saying once is enough?

It would obviously be best and a requirement of ‘dhabihah’ slaughter that the believer who slaughters the chicken (or any lawful animal) declares the ‘Bismillah Allah-o-Akbar’ each time he slaughters an animal; but if perchance the believer happens to inadvertently forget to declare the testification on one amongst the many chickens he slaughters, the flesh of that chicken would still be considered halaal.

Q-2: I have observed with some chicken shops who sales life chicken that while slaughtering it, complete head comes out. Is such chicken Halaal ?

Provided the animal is lawful in its essence, is alive at the time of slaughter, and the one who slaughters it is either a believer, a Jew, or a Christian…..the flesh of that animal would be considered lawful and halaal for the believers as food.

The correct ‘dhabihah’ or slaughter procedure in Shariah is that only the neck veins of the animal is cut with a sharp knife at the time of slaughter, and the blood of the animal is allowed to ooze out naturally; but if one accidentally perchance happens to cut the full neck of the animal at the time of slaughter, provided all the other conditions of ‘dhabihah’ have been honored, the flesh of that animal will be lawful and halaal for the believers to consume.

Q-3: Can we eat the Chicken slaughtered by a known Mushrik? Will it be Halaal?

If the one who slaughters the lawful animal is any other than a believer, a Jew or a Christian, the flesh of that slaughtered animal would be absolutely forbidden and haraam for the believers.

If the one who slaughters the lawful animal testifies that he is a believer, declares his belief in the Oneness of Allah Subhanah and believes in Prophet Mohamed (saws) as the Last and Final Messenger; but is known to indulge in acts of ‘shirk’….that person will remain a ‘legal’ muslim in the Sight of Shariah Law and the animal he slaughters will be considered lawful food for the believers.

It is only on the Day of Judgment when Allah Subhanah Will Judge with Justice who amongst the ones who claimed to be ‘muslims’ were indeed true believers and who were not.

Q-4: Can we eat the Chiken slaughtrered by a Muslim who doesnot offer Salaah?

If the one who slaughters the lawful animal testifies that he is a believer, declares his belief in the Oneness of Allah Subhanah and believes in Prophet Mohamed (saws) as the Last and Final Messenger, but is negligent of his obligatory prayers….such a person will be regarded as a ‘sinner’ in the Sight of Allah Subhanah, but will remain a ‘legal’ muslim in the Sight of Shariah Law and the believers. The animal slaughtered by any ‘Muslim’, absolutely regardless of whether the person is pious or a sinner, will be considered lawful food for the believers.

Q-5: There are some people working in chicken Shops who came to Arab Countries with a Muslim name in their Passport but in reality they are Non-Muslims and do not pray or practice Islam. Is the chicken slaughter by such people Halaal or not?

If one knows with absolute conviction and certainty that the person who slaughtered the animal is neither a Muslim, nor a Jew, nor a Christian…..absolutely regardless of what name his passport happens to state, that food would be unlawful for the believers to consume.

Q-6: They Slaughter the Chicken by Machines ( and by human) and they play an Audio Cassettes saying Bismillahi Allahu Akbar. I would like to know if this type of Slaughtering is allowed in Islam and such chickens meat will be Halaal or not?

There were obviously no machines invented at the time of the Messenger of Allah (saws), thus it would be the responsibility of the scholars and jurists in Islam to derive a ruling regarding its permissibility/impermissibility in light of the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah.

Although some scholars have voiced their opinion regarding the slaughter of animals by machines, the majority of the scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that there is no restriction in Shariah if the lawful animals are duely slaughtered by a machine, provided the animal is alive at the time of its slaughter, and the one who operates the machine is a believer and he declares ‘Bismillaah Alla-o-Akbar’ before he operates the machine that slaughters of the animals. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan